by Michael Breedlove

The year was 1943. The production was Oklahoma! The result was a box-office smash that caused a full-on revolution in musical drama. As the first musical written by Broadway legends Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, Oklahoma! introduced a number of fresh story-telling ideas—most notably, the use of music and dance to enhance and guide the plot.

Later this month, a bit of that original Broadway magic will sweep into Winston-Salem when UNC School of the Arts presents an all-school production of Oklahoma! at the Stevens Center. As the first all-campus production since 2007’s West Side Story, Oklahoma! will unite a majority of UNCSA’s schools—music, dance, drama, and design and production—for a performance that’s guaranteed to wow audiences. Leading the charge is Chancellor John Mauceri, a renowned international conductor who is providing musical direction.

Aside from the all-school set-up, this particular production will be dramatically different from the thousands of other Oklahoma! revivals for one simple reason: It will be a virtual replica of the 1943 original. Everything from the original costumes, set designs, and dance numbers has been painstakingly studied and re-created by school officials. (Even the number of orchestra members in the pit will mimic the original.)

The idea of an archival re-creation hasn’t just excited school officials; it’s causing Broadway to take note. Someone who’s following the production closely is Theodore Chapin, president of The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, who said “there is no better person to spearhead this unique production than John Mauceri. For [him] to conceive the idea of an Oklahoma! as close to exactly how it was when it opened may seem like a simple idea, but no one has had it before.”

Mauceri is just one of the many forces working to make the production memorable. Directing the drama is Terrance Mann, a Broadway megastar and one of UNCSA’s most famed alums. He was called into action in early March, when the original director, UNCSA Dean of Drama Gerald Freedman, suffered a stroke. Meanwhile, the choreography will be guided by 86-year-old Gemzi de Lappe, a renowned dancer who was in the original Broadway touring production of Oklahoma! in the 1940’s. In addition, she worked closely with Agnes de Mille, the show’s original—and legendary—choreographer.

The end result? An authentic slice of Broadway here in the Twin City, and a performance that will have the whole town singing “O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A.”

Oklahoma! will run at the Stevens Center from April 28 to May 8 with performances typically occurring at 8 p.m. (matinees at 2 p.m.). For schedule details or to purchase tickets, go to
uncsa.edu/performances.